ARTIST MODEL JUNE FURLONG ARCHIVE

Photo: Copyright Moira Kenny- Campbell The Sound Agents 2025

The Sound Agents duo John and Moira are itemising the documents, photographs, posters, drawings, letters and other paraphenalia of artist model June Furlong that they rescued from Junes house with her permission. The items have a strong historical value and are being arranged, described and preserved with care to ensure that they are accessible, discoverable and available in the future. 

When The Sound Agents have completed their work on this incredible archive that was saved from being put in a skip by a housing association they will curate an exhbition and display the work. 

Thanks to Liverpool John Moores University Contemporary Archives for their help in working on this important historical archive of a woman who worked an artist's model for 50 years and organised and produced the Merseyside Major Artists Exhibitions until she could no longer carry on.

The Archive is not available to the public or researchers until it is complete. 

LIVERPOOL IRISH STORIES

The Sound Agents would like to connect with you! Join Liverpool Irish Stories on Facebook

(1) Facebook and let's put our culture on the map.

Births, Marriages, Deaths (and everything in-between) is a new project to record the Oral Histories of Liverpool Irish people. A Pod Cast series and an exhibition is part of a three year planned project. 

The Sound Agents are currently in currently writing the project after years of consultation. 

Come aboard and have your say on how to shape the project.

 Contact Moira & John Thesoundagents@gmx.co.uk

 

A LIVERPOOL, CHINA TRADE STORY

Dorothy Worrall, Eldon Worrall and Captain Thomas Dennison Worrall

Listen to an interview with Dr Eldon Worrall here: An incredible personal story of Liverpool and China Trade

The Sound Agents, John and Moira have carried out consultation with Dr Eldon Worrall with Dr Penny Ding, The Confucius Institute Liverpool and Liverpool University to design a project to celebrate the life of Dorothy Worrall and her links to China Trade. 

Dorothy, Eldon's mother, was a quiet, softly spoken woman who became fascinated with the story behind a chair that Eldon's great, great, great, great, great grandfather, Captain Thomas Dennison Worrall bought back from China on one of his voyages in a sailing ship. The Worrall Shipping Line sailed to China on treacherous journeys before steam ships. 

Dorothy Worrall had an extraordinary life, she decided to invest in Chinese goods, fine art, furniture, textiles, ceramics, anything in fact, that was auctioned from the Sea Captain's houses or sold in Bazaars that were held in Bold Street in Liverpool in the 1930's. The Dorothy Worrall China Trade collection is held at National Museums Liverpool (NML) as she donated her vast collection to the museum. 

Sadly Captain Thomas Dennison Worrall died in tragic circumstances. He fell down the hold of his ship after a deep sea journey, while waiting at the Mersey Bar to enter the River Mersey.

A COVID STORY, THE FRIENDSHIP DANCERS

The Friendship Dancers

Mrs Chi Fong Chan runs a dance group in Liverpool Chinatown. Due to COVID Shielding, the group did not meet for two years. The women lost their confidence due to lack of contact and social isolation making them feel lonely. 

When the crisis passed, Mrs Chan encouraged the women to come back to the dance class. At first they found it difficult. They rekindled their friendships and found the strength and enthusiasm to dance on stage during Chinese New Year in front of thousands of people!

John J. Campbell and Moira Kenny; The Sound Agents, worked with Chi Fong Chan to produce this short film. Funded by the clinical, extremely vulnerable (CEV) programme, Culture Liverpool 2022 and Awards for All. To view the film click on this link:  DANCING BACK TO HEALTH 

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IN CHINATOWN

Thanks to Culture Liverpool for the press passes for Chinese New Year, The Sound Agents had an opportunity to be invited into the buildings in Nelson Street to photograph some of the members of the Chinese organisations, families and friends. The photographs show the preparations and celebrations of 2025, The Year of the Wood Snake. 

Coming soon, a short film of the photographs taken by Moira Kenny and John Campbell. Join us on YouTube @SoundAgentsFilms and Friends of Liverpool Chinatown | Facebook

See Yep Association, Liverpool
Photo: Moira Kenny-Campbell

Inside a private Community Centre
Photo: Moira Kenny-Campbell

CALL OUT FOR VOLUNTEERS

 

GLADYS AYLWARD BLUE PLAQUE

Thanks to our Facebook group 'Friends of Liverpool Chinatown' and people who donated to the Just Giving Campaign, the Gladys Aylward blue plaque is ready to be placed on 20 Nelson Street. 

Watch this space.

Thanks also to Paul Beesley and Joe Wilson, BBC Radio Merseyside, who spoke on air to The Sound Agents, Moira Kenny and shared the story across Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria!